Krantikal Award conferred on veteran educationist

From a Correspondent

GAON (HAIBORGAON), May 1: The president of Axam Xahitya Xabha (AXX), Dr Dhrubajyoti Bora on Sunday formally conferred the Krantikal Award, 2016 to veteran educationist of the State and one of the main think-tanks of the Assam Movement, Dr Basanta Deka at a function held in gaon.

Along with the award, Dr Bora received cash, a japi made of brass, a gamusa and other items. The award was conferred for the first time to veteran Assamese poet Dr Kabin Phukan in 2011. Conferring the award, the president of AXX, Dr Dhrubajyoti Bora said that when the Assamese medium schools in the State was facing various problems, at that time along with some educationists, Dr Deka had come out to protect and save the Assamese medium learners and set up Assamese schools like Axom Jatiya Vidyalaya in the State with all modern facilities.

“Today I am happy and proud to confer an award like the Krantikal Award, 2016 to such a person who has been working silently for the welfare of the greater Assamese tiolist society over the years,” Dr. Bora added further. On the other hand, after receiving the award, Dr. Basanta Deka stated that he was not the forerunner of Assam Movement; rather he was one of among those who for the first time thought of such a movement in the State. He said that he was in fact an educationist. Being a educationist, he criticized the method and pattern of teaching in the governmental schools of the State.

Referring to the importance of marks in examition, he said that instead of obtaining marks in examition, teachers or parents should provide children the freedom to learn from the surroundings as per their own choice. “If this is not possible then the marks that they will obtain in the examition will do nothing for them in the future,” Dr Deka added.

The function was presided over by retired college teacher and also critic of Assamese literature, Prabhat Bora.